I vaguely recall watching the movie at Otakon years ago. It must have been Otakon 2004? Anyway, while reading the book I was a bit dismayed to find that I could not remember a single thing about the movie. I am pretty sure that I watched it with Chris in one of the 35mm screening rooms but all I can vaguely remember is a scene of Sophie running around in the castle. I don’t even know if that is a real memory, so that’s great. Maybe someday I will find a schedule from 2004.

Anyway, this isn’t about the movie at all! I’ve heard they are fairly different, but who knows. Hopefully I’ll get to watching the movie again at some point. The book, however, was absolutely lovely! Howl’s Moving Castle was my first Diana Wynne Jones novel, but it definitely won’t be my last. Sophie was a really fun protagonist and I can’t say the situation she’s placed in at the beginning of the book isn’t unique. I love that her “thing” is talking to inanimate objects. I really grew to like the whole supporting cast too, even if it took me a while to warm up to Howl. In the Q&A at the end of the book, DWJ mentions how girls all want to marry Howl… but I certainly don’t think I’d want to marry a guy who floods everything with green slime when he’s in a pissy mood!